A/N: Just wanted to say thank you to @KayPea10201, AlieAlejandra , @xKiocox and @MarieRoberts3 for the votes/comments/adding my book to your reading list(s). Thanks a lot! I really appreciate it and I will be sure to keep this up! ☆〜（ゝ。∂）

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Previously...

The three older ones sighed. They had had to repeat the story several times now, "Listen, Luffy, anything you don't understand, it's called a mystery thing, alright?"

"Oh," Luffy smacked his fist into the palm of his hand, "So it's a mystery thing!"

Sabo sweat dropped, That's gonna cause more trouble in the future, Ace...

Sayeko laughed, I love these three! I swear, upon my life, I will protect them with all my might. Even should the world reject me or despise me, as long as I could be of help to them, I will be more than happy.

- - -

Third Person POV

"Meow?" The purr of a kitten could be heard from behind the door.

"Hmm? Did you bring animals here or something?" Sayeko asked the three boys.

"Uhh..." The boys trailed off, unsure of how she would react.

The cute face of a little kitten popped out from behind the door. A little puppy's face popped out after it, along with a baby blue bird perched on top of its head. A little squirrel came out last.

She stared at the little critters and they stared back, little eyes full of curiosity. The kitten had pale ginger brown and fur with gray streaks, lovely sky blue eyes that screamed the phrase, 'curioser and curioser'. The puppy had dark gray fur, the color of smoke rising from the ashes, streaks of orange-red 'lava' curled around his tail and ears, golden eyes gleaming. The baby blue bird had feathers the color of the sky and a beak golden like the sun. The squirrel had brown fur, like all squirrels, but streaks of mint green lined his back along with a darker chocolate brown, green eyes shining like grass under a golden sun.

"They're... so... cute!" Sayeko squealed inside, "Are they your friends?"

"Well, sort of," Sabo replied as the squirrel came up to him and settled on his shoulders. He took an acorn from his pocket and gave it to him, or her, "Luffy got chased by a wild boar, and it was chasing these guys too... "

~Flashback~

"Oi, Luffy!" Sabo called, "What do you wa--eh?" Both boys were surprised to find Luffy gone in the one second they had take their eyes off the mischievous little seven-year-old who has an unbelievable knack for getting into trouble.

"Where's Luffy?" Ace asked as he stared at the spot the little kid used to be.

"UWAAAA! HELP ME!!!" A scream rang broke the still air in the forest as the two boys turned towards the source of the sound. Loud gallops could be heard as trees fell after Luffy, kicking up dirt all around.

"The hell, Luffy?!" Ace shouted as soon as he saw the wild boar tailing after their younger friend, "Don't scream or you'll make it angrier!!!"

"AAAA!" Luffy screamed even louder as the three boys scrambled away from the wild boar, not noticing the little critters that also struggled to avoid getting eaten. Their eyes popped out of their sockets as they ran for their life, as fast as their legs could carry them.

Ace and Sabo ran up a tree as Luffy ducked, still screaming along with the little young ones. The boar's eyes widened when it realized it couldn't stop. He skidded to a stop right before he rammed into the tree, with Luffy out of the way. The boar heaved a sigh of relief but that didn't last for long as it got kicked in the rear, ramming into the tree and knocking itself out.

Ace and Sabo smirked, pleased with the outcome, "Wild boat meat for dinner then!"

"That was scary!!" Luffy heaved a sigh of relief as he leant against the boar. Then, he started patting, more like hitting, it, "This thing's big!"

"Don't hit it!" Both Ace and Sabo warned him, but it was too late.

The boat woke up with a start and started chasing them again. This time, Ace and Sabo easily beat it with their pipes. That's when Sabo noticed the young at their feet, Ace and Luffy bickering again in the background, "Oi, now that we have time to talk, who are these guys?"

"Huh? I don't know," Luffy replied, "They were also being chased by the boar." He extended his hand about to slap the thing again but was slapped away instead by Ace, "Don't touch it anymore!!!"

"Hey, Ace, Luffy, you wanna keep these little guys?" Sabo asked as he petted the squirrel, "They don't look like they have anywhere to go."

"Sure, if you want," Ace asked as he walked over. He spotted the little baby blue bird among the pack, its yellow beak gleaming like gold. It tweeted in delight as Ace picked it up, emerald green eyes sparkling under the sun. A blush creeped onto his face as he stared at it in wonder, So cute...

"Pfft!" His thoughts were interrupted when he heard snickering behind him. It soon turned to loud laughter as he turned around, "Ace is a softy!!!"

"JUST SHUT UP!!!" He roared, face flushed from embarrassment but the two only laughed harder than that along with the rest of the little guys, except for the bird since it had absolutely no clue to what was going on.

~End of Flashback~

"I still haven't forgotten who's fault was that," Luffy grumbled, glaring at Ace as he patted the puppy's head.

"It's not mine! I told you not to scream, didn't I?!" Ace retorted, cupping the little bird in his hands and feeding him some worms.

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

The two glared daggers at each other as Sabo sighed in defeat, "Telling them to stop fighting is pointless..."

"I guess so," Sayeko laughed, stroking the cute, energetic little kitten that had pounced upon her, "You're a cute little thing, aren't you?"

The kitten purred in agreement as he looked up at her with big round innocent eyes, "What's your name?"

The kitten mewed in response, "Sabo, Ace and Luffy call me 'Cheshire' every time!"

Sayeko turned to Sabo, "Sabo, did you name him 'Cheshire'?"

"How'd you know?" Sabo replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Cheshire told me," she replied as she played around with the kitten, "Though it seems strange that he can speak."

Cheshire spoke? The three boys eyed the girl frolicking around with the kitten, playing catch with a foxtail.

"Can animals really speak?" Luffy asked curiously as he looked from Cheshire to the puppy.

"That's rude! Of course, we can speak! You humans just never seem to understand us!" Aiden barked.

"I can hear you loud and clear," Sayeko replied, still not taking her eyes of the cute little kitten, "Aiden." The boys continued to stare at her, a pregnant pause filled the air.

Luffy's eyes immediately turned to stars, "So cool! So you can talk to animals too, Koko?"

"Ah!" Sayeko yelped as she was tackled to the ground by none other than Luffy, "What do you mean? Can't you hear them?"

"Hear them?" The three boys asked as their heads tilted to the side in confusion. Silence enveloped them as they continued to stare at Sayeko who was completely oblivious to the fact that all their attention was on her. Or maybe she knew but simply chose to ignore it.

A pregnant silence filled the air.

But was broken soon after as all the little critters tackled Sayeko to the ground, making her yelp yet again, "Kya! What is it with me and getting tackled to the ground?"

"Can you really understand us?"

"How'd you know my name?"

"Can you really? Can you really?"

"Oi, just give her some space!"

The little critters moved aside to give her some space as Sayeko gasped for air, "First of all, yes, I can. Second, a voice in my head just told me your name. Third, I have no idea how."

"What do you mean 'A voice in your head'?" Ace asked. Sayeko dusted herself off as she sat back up, "I don't really understand either but there's like a little ghost in my head that tells me things that people don't say out loud, like thoughts, memories, etc. I can't control it, though. The voice only tells me when it feels like telling me. It lets me hear the voices of animals as well, I guess, which is why I can understand what they're talking about and you can't."

"Oh, so it's a mystery thing?" Luffy asked as he smacked his fist into the palm of his hand, Cheshire saying almost the exact same thing. The three older ones sighed as she replied, "Yes, Luffy and Chesire, it's a mystery thing."

"But that aside, I'm hungry!" Luffy and Cheshire whined/mewed in unison.

Sayeko laughed, "Let's go get some food then!"

- - -

Dadan picked up the letter that the kids had left behind, What the hell do those little brats think they're doing?! Causing more trouble are they?

Dear Dadan,
        Thank you for taking care of me and tell the medic I am grateful for him treating me. I do my chores tonight when most are asleep so don't worry.
        Also, don't be so grumpy, alright?
Best Regards,
Sayeko ♡

Tears filled the corners of her eyes as she held the letter in her hand.

"Boss! You okay?" A bandit asked.

"Idiot! I'm not crying at all!" She cried, very obviously failing to hold back her tears.

- - -

In the woods, Sayeko smirked as the voice told her what had happened in the hut. Despite the hard shell she hides in, inside, she's just like any other mother. She is, after all, their guardian and foster mother. Sayeko chuckled, "She is definitely crying, alright."

- - -

Days passed since the incident and they have left all behind them in the past where it should be, except for one. How could she let it just slide? Well, maybe she could let it slide for some time, but not forever.

The love you hold for those dear to you, may very well be the blade that threatens to end their lives.

She didn't want that. Not ever. But she knew it would backfire, one way or another.

She had lost an eye to the incident. She didn't want to lose the treasured people she consider brothers.

Let's leave these for the future, should fate wills it, I will make a decision then.

- - -

The four, along with their little partners, Cheshire, Aiden, Nicole and Aotaka, bid their time in the woods, hunting the wild animals in the forest and fighting with the hoodlums from the city; occasionally with the pirates from the cove as well, but Sayeko's favourite place to be is the old run down mansion.

The place was like a secret garden to her, full of unheard mysterious and an enchanting atmosphere. Ivy creeped it's way along the walls, adding its own unique touch to the place. The sun's rays shine through gaps in the roof, lighting the place with its golden rays. In the middle of it all, sat a grand piano. Its jet black coat reflected the sun's rays, the soft cushioned seat made with pure black leather.

That was what she loved most of all. The piano. Along with Cheshire. And her secret friend~

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A/N:

I really think an update is long due. It's been like, what, 5 days? (Is that like long for not updating?)

And so sorry this chapter is really really short. I just didn't have much planned for this chapter, only the little critters and that little hint on which I will elaborate more on next chapter.

See you then, guys! Thanks a lot for reading my book! I do hope you like it!

Cheers,
Sakura